1. Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to a method of rooting cuttings. In some of its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with a method whereby cuttings may be rooted faster and/or easier. The invention is also concerned with a method of propagating plants from cuttings which are more vigorous and resistant to disease and/or adverse environmental conditions.
2. Prior Art
The rooting of cuttings, which are often in the form of relatively short new growth limbs or slips cut from a large or mature plant, is an important method of propagating a number of species of plants. Examples of plants which may be propagated from cuttings include vines such as grapes, ivy and honeysuckle, flowers such as rose bushes, chrysanthemums and African Violets, shrubbery such as boxwood, pyracantha and forsythia, and trees such as willow and magnolia.
In practicing the basic prior art method, cuttings usually are rooted by immersing the lower ends in plain water, or by inserting the lower ends in moist sand, vermiculite or other suitable absorbent particulate material, until sufficient roots develop to support the plant when transplanted in soil. A lengthy period of time such as several days, weeks and sometimes months is required for the roots to develop. Cuttings from a number of plants are very difficult to root. Also, often a substantial percentage of the cuttings do not develop sufficient roots and the cuttings die when transplanted or do not grow vigorously.
A number of attempts have been made heretofore to overcome the above mentioned limitations and disadvantages of rooting cuttings. One of the more successful prior art proposals involves the use of plant hormones which promote rooting. The cuttings are dipped in the plant hormones, or the hormones are otherwise applied during the rooting process. While plant hormones are useful with a number of plant species, they are not useful in all instances and especially when attempts are made to root cuttings which are difficult to root. The plant hormones also do not have a beneficial effect on the rooted cuttings following transplanting into soil. As a result, the percentage of rooted cuttings which fail to live upon transplanting is substantially the same as when following the earlier prior art practice of rooting cuttings without plant hormones. The transplanted rooted cuttings also do not grow more vigorously, nor are they more resistant to disease and/or adverse environmental conditions than cuttings rooted in the absence of plant hormones.
It will be apparent from the foregoing that the art has long sought an entirely satisfactory method of rooting cuttings which not only allows the cuttings to be rooted faster and/or easier, but which also simultaneously provides plants characterized by increased vigor and resistance to disease and adverse environmental conditions following transplanting. However, such a method was not available prior to the present invention.